


Etched In His Skin

by inatrice



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Body Worship, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Keith loves Shiro so much????, M/M, Mutual Pining, Vague References to Medical Experimentation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-02 21:22:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12734553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inatrice/pseuds/inatrice
Summary: When Keith finds a hint of the damage that had been inflicted during Shiro's time as a prisoner, he does his best to help Shiro begin to heal.





	Etched In His Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Mari for beta (that's right i got a beta this time!!)!!

Their first kiss happened three weeks ago. They hadn't planned it, it just happened. They had been in the training deck and together had beaten the highest gladiator level. Shiro had whooped and fallen to his knees in victory and Keith had screamed aloud, fists high in the air. Then, laughing, they ran at each other for a celebratory hug. When they pulled back it had just seemed so natural to lean back in and…

They kissed.

It had lasted all of about three seconds before they pulled away from each other in shock. And then it had been a blush-colored evening, including subtle glances through dinner and sitting just that much closer together during the weekly movie night.

They didn't talk about it. For now they were just content to let this little window of happiness into their lives. Questioning it seemed like the quickest way to get it to end.

But then Shiro started showing up at Keith's door once the lights were out, dressed in his usual sleepwear, a (different) black shirt and loose sweat pants, and his teeth freshly brushed. It became part of their routine. Shiro would knock on Keith's door just as he finished redressing himself and they would kiss softly until they fell asleep.

They didn't talk about how the both of them slept better curled up next to each other, either.

Tonight was different, however. The team had returned from an extremely trying mission. Shiro had been affected by the Galra outpost they had found, Keith had seen it in his eyes, so he decided to wait for Shiro by the door instead of getting into bed like he normally did.

Keith sighed. Shiro was 5 minutes late. He was never late, not if he could help it. Right before Keith was about to head out to find him, the door slid open and Shiro walked in looking more disheveled than usual with his gaze glued to the floor. Keith swallowed thickly as he prepared for a rough night. It wasn't the first, he knew it wouldn't be the last.

"Hey," he whispered gently, trying to pull Shiro's attention away from his feet.

The older man looked up, his eyes pained in the way that only Keith was allowed to see. "Hey."

With a small frown, Keith stepped forward into Shiro's space and took his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," came Shiro's immediate response, voice tight. "I'm trying to avoid thinking about it, actually."

"I can help with that," Keith said, running his free hand up Shiro's chest. He stood on his toes and pressed gentle lips to Shiro's mouth. They hadn't discussed yet that what they were doing could be more than just kissing; that it might actually be real feelings that they hadn't the stomach to address. It was something they had danced around for ages. There had always been a flame between them and maybe they'd both been a little too afraid of being burned to let it grow. The year and a half that had separated them hadn't hindered Keith's ability to read Shiro like a book. He knew the older man would need something more than just kisses tonight. Keith was ready and willing to give that to him, whatever it might be, whatever he needed.

Shiro kissed him back for a few seconds before he gently pulled back, a frown painting his entire face. "Keith…maybe we shouldn't do this."

It felt like his stomach had been doused in freezing water. Even though they hadn't talked about whatever 'this' was, Keith couldn't deny that he loved it. Even Lance had said he seemed to be in a better mood lately. He hadn't admitted it out loud to anyone, ever, but being able to exist so close to Shiro, to be able to kiss him just because he wanted to, it was something he'd thought about and wanted for a long time. If Shiro didn't want him back….

"What do you mean?" Keith asked, trying not to give away the sudden nervousness in his chest.

Shiro's head tilted to the side, thinking. "You were entirely too focused on me today." He finally said. "Those sentries would've had Hunk if he hadn't called out when he did. We have to focus on the team, not just on each other."

Keith felt a flare of defiance melt the nervousness away. It was no secret that he and Shiro were an effortless team; that the two of them just fit together. It had been this way even back in the Garrison. "And what would've happened if you had a full episode?" Keith asked him, fire in his words. He fought off the urge to cross his arms over his chest and instead tightened his grip on Shiro's hand. "The second we stepped into that out post, you started shutting down." A pained, guilty look flitted over Shiro's face. "I know it's not easy acknowledging it, but I'm the only one who knows your tells. I mean, I could try and show Pidge, but she's usually dealing with the computer stuff. And I'm sorry but I'm not going to trust your mental health to Lance." At least Shiro smirked at that. "Listen, we need you strong so the team can be strong. And if that means I spend a few extra seconds watching you while the others step up then that's what we'll do. I can discuss it with them in the morning if you want?"

Shiro was already shaking his head. "I should be able to keep myself in check, Keith. I can't ask you to do that for me."

"You don't have to ask, Shiro." Keith told him gently, reaching up to touch his face. "I'm doing it because I want to. And because we're all stronger when everyone is putting their best foot forward and supporting each other."

Shiro gave him a small smile and leaned his head forward so that their foreheads were touching. "I know I keep saying it, but you're going to be a great leader, Keith. Why won't you accept it?"

"Stop that," Keith deflected, closing his eyes and ignoring the overwhelming feeling of dread that plagued him whenever Shiro mentioned him leading Voltron. "We're talking about you right now, anyway."

"My mistake," Shiro conceded with an easy tone.

They stood there silently for a while, content to simply hold each other and be close. Finally Keith carefully pulled back, expression soft. "C'mon," he said gently, nodding towards his bed.

Shiro returned the soft look for a few seconds before stepping away and across the room. Keith reached to shut his lights off and when he turned back into the room he froze, ice gripping at his stomach again. The back of Shiro's shirt had rolled up into itself and now it was showing off a section of skin that Keith hadn't seen since the Garrison. The difference between then and now made his blood run cold. "Shiro…?" He choked out.

Shiro turned back to him, brows creasing with concern at Keith's tone. With one look at Keith's face, Shiro glanced down at himself, saw his exposed skin, and blanched. His hands hurriedly reached down to fix his shirt, nearly incoherent apologies spilling from his mouth as he did so.

Keith took the few steps forward to cross the room and reached for Shiro's hands. "Hey, hey, it's okay." He said, trying to soothe Shiro's sudden frenzy. "It's okay."

With a choked sigh, Shiro's head drooped, hiding his face. "I'm sorry you had to see that." He whispered. "I didn't want to alarm any of you."

Something clicked in Keith's head. That would explain why Shiro was so keen on keeping so much of himself covered up. Even during training when they were all so sweaty they only trained in shorts, Shiro still insisted on a shirt.

Keith's hands moved from Shiro's hands to the other man's waist. He looked up into Shiro's face. "Can I?" He asked softly, fingers pulling at the hem of Shiro's shirt. Now that he'd had a glimpse, a morbid part of him needed to know how far the damage went, how much pain he'd need to inflict on the next Druid he came across.

It took a few tense, pained moments before Shiro gave a small nod.

Slowly, carefully, Keith pulled the fabric up and over Shiro's head. He bit his lip to keep his shocked gasp quiet. "Oh, Shiro." He whispered as his eyes took in the expanse of scarred skin before him. There were messy burns, long and jagged wounds, reminders of the battles he'd fought as Champion, and some were straight, cut with precision. _Surgical_ , his mind supplied.

"I didn't want you to see how ugly I'd become." Shiro whispered as Keith's shaking hands hovered above his skin.

"You're not ugly," Keith told him immediately, voice hot and defiant. "This was done _to_ you. It's not your fault." Shiro looked like he wanted to protest, but Keith fixed him with a stubborn look. "Can I touch you?"

"Yes," Shiro breathed out, with a weak nod.

Once Keith's fingers made contact with warm skin, Shiro gasped quietly, his muscles twitching. "Tell me if you need me to stop," Keith urged him, to which Shiro only nodded. Keith ran his thumb over the only scar his recognized, three deep scars just above his right hip given to him by the witch that had caused most of the rest of them. With a sigh, Keith gently guided Shiro to sit on the bed. He carefully climbed into the older man's lap, running his hands comfortingly over Shiro's shoulders. "This doesn't change anything." Keith told him. "Not your place on the team, not your importance to us, not how I feel about you."

Shiro's eyes finally met his and there was a pause between them. There were so many things that sat on the tip of Keith's tongue, a confession burning just under his skin. But he stayed quiet for tonight and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to the scar across the bridge of Shiro's nose.

Though Shiro let out a shaking breath, Keith continued. He dragged his lips down Shiro's neck to his collar bone where what looked like a particularly nasty chemical burn remained. He took his time, covering each inch with soft kisses, before moving to his right shoulder to lathe attention to what he guessed was a bite.

In his head, Keith cursed every single creature that had dare touch Shiro while he had been a prisoner, but he didn't find himself hating the marks themselves. The old wounds were a part of Shiro now, and there wasn't a part of Keith that could ever hate anything Shiro was. If he could help Shiro see that, if he could help Shiro gain back some comfort in his own body, he would do whatever it took.

His fingertips grazed over what looked like a surgical scar that ran down Shiro's sternum and Keith worked to keep the shudder that was forming in his spine from spreading before he kissed down the raised skin. He was horrified at what had happened to Shiro, not of Shiro himself; so he whispered gentle, positive words as he pressed Shiro back so that he was lying on the bed.

Keith could feel Shiro shaking as his hands came to grip Keith's hips. Worried, Keith looked up at him, heart twisting when he saw a few tears leaking down the sides of Shiro's face. "Do you want me to stop?" Keith asked him, not wanting to push the older man too hard.

But Shiro shook his head, though his eyes remained closed, and Keith continued his task. His lips found a puckered scar on the left side of Shiro's stomach. "You're still Shiro," Keith assured him as his breath warmed Shiro's skin. He moved on to the scars Haggar had left on him. "You're still good."

Keith was sure he heard a choked sob come from above him, but he continued to focus on pressing sweet kisses onto the red angry marks that littered his Black Paladin. Shiro deserved to let go of this pain but Keith knew such vulnerability was almost as difficult as being tasked with saving the universe. So he let Shiro unravel in privacy as he continued to give praise to the body underneath him. Shiro was so strong. He had been through unimaginable horrors and still fought so fiercely for peace. He still shouldered the responsibility of leading the revolt against an intergalactic war lord with a smile and a positive attitude. He still got out of bed after every sleep cycle ready to face their impossible task head on. Shiro had been amazing back at the Garrison, but he was truly awe-inspiring out here. A beacon of hope in the vastness of space. And Keith would follow him to the ends of the universe.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered as he rested his chin on Shiro's chest.

With that, Shiro's hands moved from where they'd been grasping at Keith's hips and with his gentle strength, pulled Keith up to kiss him. His face was wet with the tears he'd shed, but Keith kissed him back with a ferocity that surprised even himself. He placed his elbows on either side of Shiro's head and shoved his fingers into Shiro's hair, anchoring them together in the moment. They broke apart a few minutes later, both breathless as they pressed their foreheads together and stared into each other's eyes. It felt like Shiro wanted to say something and Keith could feel his own words wanting to spill out of him, but instead they let their legs slide together, let each other revel in the feeling of their entire bodies pressing together in sanctuary.

And when they kissed again, Keith swore he could taste the words on Shiro's tongue.

**Author's Note:**

> This counts as happy Sheith right? Ah well, at least this is out of my system now and I can focus on the sappy AU I have going \o/
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read, I hope you liked it! 
> 
> As always come find me on twitter @inatrice so we can cry about these boys together. ilu!


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